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Book Review: Murder in Mossyhollow by Sarah Rodecker

Posted on October 14, 2025September 18, 2025 by R.M. Archer

Having worked on several projects with Sarah throughout the years, including her previous book Escape from Mathebos, I was super excited when I heard she was working on a cozy fantasy mystery series! I’m always super excited to see more Christian-authored cozy fantasy books, and cozy fantasy plus cozy mystery sounds like the perfect mix, so I couldn’t wait to read Murder in Mossyhollow.

(Required disclaimer that though I received a free copy to review, the following opinions are my own.)

What is Murder in Mossyhollow about?

As Mossyhollow’s apothecary, Sybell Buslingthorpe has her finger on the pulse of the village. When a well-loathed man is poisoned at a dinner party and the fiancée of Sybell’s assistant, Joan, is the prime suspect, Sybell feels compelled to step in and solve the murder before the wrong person is accused.

Sybell Buslingthorpe fills her days with caring for the sick, teasing her young assistant and his spunky fiancée, and going home to her garden and pet dragons. Free time is spent interacting with the village people of Mossyhollow and getting involved in the local politics. Everything an elderly apothecary could dream of.

Her comfortable life is thrown into chaos when her dear friend, Anya Thorne, throws a dinner party and her friend’s grandson is poisoned. Despite everyone hating him, Joan, as Anya’s housekeeper, becomes the prime suspect. Knowing her assistant’s fiancée is innocent, Sybell races against the clock to clear her name and find the real killer.

She finds herself swept up in a world of politics and prejudice, where everyone has a motive, but few have the means and opportunity. Will Sybell be able to patch up Joan’s reputation before it is too late?

Review

Murder in Mossyhollow‘s charm is in its Continue reading “Book Review: Murder in Mossyhollow by Sarah Rodecker” →

7 of My Favorite Fiction Classics

Posted on September 30, 2025May 13, 2025 by R.M. Archer

As fall hits, I always find myself wanting to read more classics. Something about the season just makes me want to return to older, (often) richer literature. Whether you feel the same way about fall or you’re just looking for classics to expand your horizons or strengthen your writing, here are seven of my favorite fiction classics (by order of how many times I’ve reread them).

The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien

A must-read for any fantasy fan, The Lord of the Rings makes Continue reading “7 of My Favorite Fiction Classics” →

What Does it Mean to “Read with Discernment”?

Posted on September 9, 2025May 13, 2025 by R.M. Archer

If you’re a Christian reader, you may have heard the term “reading with discernment” tossed around, or something like it. Read carefully. Choose your books wisely. And this is good advice. The problem is… it’s vague. What does it mean to read with discernment?

Ultimately, I think reading with discernment will lead to different readers choosing different books. There is no one-size-fits-all result when it comes to reading with discernment. But there are a few principles to keep in mind as you consider what reading with discernment means for you and how you can choose your reads wisely.

Expose the Works of Darkness

“And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.” – Eph. 5:11, NKJV

The world is broken, and fiction Continue reading “What Does it Mean to “Read with Discernment”?” →

Worried Your TBR Will Crush You? 5 Book Management Tips

Posted on May 20, 2025April 17, 2025 by R.M. Archer

I’m not one to do a “digital detox” every new year, but I significantly pared down my inbox in January, which drew my attention to the nearly 2,500 books I had marked to-read on Goodreads, many of which reflected past interests and reading habits I’m unlikely to return to… and I suspect I’m not the only one with such overwhelming stacks of books looming from the to-read pile (whether that pile is visible or not).

Especially as we look toward summer reading, it seemed a fitting time to discuss how to declutter that TBR (To-Be-Read pile) and get back to reading what you’re interested in—with the ability to clearly see the next interesting book on the stack.

Start at the Bottom

Start your purge with Continue reading “Worried Your TBR Will Crush You? 5 Book Management Tips” →

Book Review: DragonFire and Other Nonsense by Bethany Meyer

Posted on April 8, 2025March 10, 2025 by R.M. Archer

I haven’t posted as many reviews this year as some other years, as a consequence of reducing the volume of books I read in order to take my time with books that I really enjoy. Let me start by saying, this book was definitely worth the time.

(Required disclaimer that though I received a free copy to review, the following opinions are my own.)

Since this book concludes the Scorch trilogy, here is the blurb from book one rather than DragonFire itself:

What is Robbing Centaurs and Other Bad Ideas about?

Wick the tree messenger is bound for success. His career as a messenger is better than it’s ever been, and he’s on the fast track to getting an even more important job as a councilor. But before he can succeed, word spreads that a thief is after the most powerful magic in Aro, the Heather Stone, and stealing it piece by piece. To be safe, Wick is entrusted with moving one of the stones to a safer location.

On his journey, Wick is overtaken by the thief himself, a seraph named Archer, but Archer’s plans as he explains them are nothing like what everyone thinks. Wick doesn’t know what to believe, but Archer seems so sure. Wick’s options are limited: ignore Archer and keep his piece of the Heather Stone out of potentially dangerous hands, or choose to trust this thief and the warning he brings.

Something is coming. An ancient scourge that could destroy all of Aro. All that stands in its way are an uncertain messenger and an untrustworthy thief.

If he chooses wrong, Wick could lose everything.

Prior to reading DragonFire and Other Nonsense, I went back and reread both Robbing Centaurs and Other Bad Ideas and World Saving and Other Disasters–and I’m quite happy to have done so, both because Continue reading “Book Review: DragonFire and Other Nonsense by Bethany Meyer” →